| |
Whale and Dolphin Watching
Imagine the excitement of watching a
great whale blowing, its powerful body surging through the
water. Or a host of dolphins leaping from the sea in energetic
bounds just a few feet in front to of you. If this appeals
to you, then the Maldives has what you are looking for.
Over 20 different whale and dolphin species can be seen here.
Compare this with the handful or less that are regularly seen
at most other destinations and you will see why the Maldives
is so attractive for whale and dolphin watchers. In addition
to this great diversity of species, another great attraction
of whale and dolphin watching in the Maldives is that it is
so easy and comfortable. No problem with arctic winds here!
There are very few other places where you can relax under
tropical skies, watching giant whales swim past right in front
of you.
The "Big Three" are the sperm whale, Bryde's whale and, biggest
of them all, the blue whale. Pilot whales are particularly
common, while other specialities include dwarf sperm whales
and Cuvier's beaked whales. Melon-headed whales are commonest
around the southern atolls, where they occur in enormous schools
of 500 or more, and regularly bowride.
Among the dolphins, by far the most abundant, and the most
acrobatic, is the spinner dolphin. Several other varieties,
including Risso's dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, spotted dolphins
and striped dolphins are also common.
If you are confused by all these names, don't worry. A whale
and dolphin watching cruise in the Maldives, with an expert
naturalist on board, will soon have you separating your false
killer whales from your pygmy killer whales.
|
|
| |
Getting the best sightings
It is possible to see dolphins on almost any holiday in
the Maldives. Look out for them during any boat journey.
However, the best sightings are achieved with a specialist
whale and dolphin watching operator. They offer dedicated
cetacean cruises on liveaboard 'safari' boats, which will
give you the very best chance of numerous close encounters.
Make sure that your cruise is led by a suitably experienced
naturalist, who will know which atolls to visit for the most
sightings, and who will ensure that international whale watching
standards are maintained in order to minimise disturbance
to the animals.
Whales and dolphins are found in abundance in the Maldives
throughout the year, but they are easiest to spot when the
sea is flat calm. The best time to visit is therefore January
to May, when the weather in the Maldives is at its calmest
and sunniest.
What do we see?
Of course, nothing can be guaranteed with wild animals, but
on a typical whale watching cruise in the Maldives you can
expect to see a dozen or so different species. This will include
several species that are only very rarely seen in other countries.
As well as all the whales and dolphins, you can also expect
to see numerous seabirds, and turtles, manta rays, sailfish
and whale sharks.
|
|
